It is known that the nearest government to the people is the local government and it is formed to address certain challenges that confront citizens of any country at that level. The creation of that tier of government wasn’t accidental; it is to provide solutions and thus play crucial role in ensuring the well-being of the local people. Years after its creation, it is notably worrisome that it has achieved less of the expected purposes.
Without any iota of doubt, Local Governments in the 21st century face different serious challenges. In fact it is more serious in the case of Nigeria as the state governments, under which the local governments exist are not helping the mater in anyway. Poor service delivery, low-quality citizens engagement, non-implementation of quality creative and innovative ideas amongst many others are the current status of many local governments in Nigeria.
These, I think are some of the reasons why President Bola Ahmed Tinubu lauded the ruling of the apex court on the long-awaited and long-overdue local government autonomy. The apex court ordered direct payment of (774) council’s allocations without any interference. Such that local governments will now have the needed financial strength and capacity to solving critical infrastructural decay that has ravaged lives at the local level.
As good as this is, it is unexpected that some individuals, especially the beneficiaries will reject such Presidential offer. Sad, isn’t it? This is the case in Oyo State. Recently, all the local government chairmen announced to pull out of Association of Local Governments in Nigeria (ALGON) and form new association to serve grassroots better. Do they want us to be perpetual slaves at the local level? However, that’s not really the focus of this piece.
Ona Ara local government chairman, Dr Kolapo Temitope (Glorious) fixes an interstate road (around Oke-elesin, Amuloko area). This is laudable idea. But then, as a political conscious citizen and an indigene of Ona Ara local government, I strongly feel it is typically dangerous to be fixing an interstate road with interlocking blocks that will never last but worsen the case.
This is definitely a very cheap way to fix the damaged part of the road and of course I am excited that the road is being fixed but how good or bad is this technique that is being carried out by a chairman who rejects local government autonomy? How safe is it for bikes and Keke during this rainy season? Of course highly unsafe for such road with high density of vehicular (tricycles, motorcycles, etc.) movements. The council chair must have forgotten that a considerable percentage of those using that road are motorcyclists and tricyclists. This project is obviously untimely.
With my understanding, car owners would have to drive carefully as Tyres are grippier on Tar/Asphalt than on interlocking blocks. Interlock blocks are known for losing grip. Though it is becoming a norm, the dangers when few stones get dislodged is better imagined. Is the council boss not creating more deathtraps for residents? Rather than spend public funds on this evanescent project, while not see to leveraging on fixing the said road through the concerned unit of the state government? Or is Ona Ara local government not part of the operation no potholes agenda of the state government?
I thus submit that the delineation in the services provided by local government is caused by their financial incapacitation to implement 21st century infrastructures, and one would rather expect the local government chairmen; our Ona Ara local government chairman to stop playing politics with local government autonomy and respect the rulings of the Supreme Court for better initiation of community development.
Therefore, I appeal to Dr Kolapo Temitope (Glorious), Ona Ara Local government chairman to embrace local government autonomy in the interest of our dear local government and its people towards bringing positive meaningful change/development to the council area.
Fakunle Busayo, Political Conscious Voter from Ona-Ara Local Government Area, Oyo State.
